The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-02-12

ed at t different 'Twus her last o.
kin, an'mebbe';twu only nat'ral fur her
ter mourn. Any how, you'd never hs'
knowed but what Benjamin had been
an angel, fur all the remarks she let
drop bout him arter tibet day.
"'Wall, Miss Hester says l, arter
quite a spell o. quiet, Il reckon I'd bes'
be a-goin' back ter the ten-acre lot.
Time an tide, an grass, Miss Hester,
don't wait fur no man.
"'Stop, AmosF she says, quickly.
There's more ter tell. Benjamin lef'
leetle boy says she, AN what dye
think, Amos, O. his comm here ter usP
81 knOwed by the unusual tremblin'
o her tones ez her heart wanted tibet
boy, an she wanted me ter gree with
her; an furthermore, knowed by an
other sign ez she meant ter hev him,
whats ever says. Now It fust l didn't
think It all well O. the plan. Iknowed
what kin O. tree that child wuz a limb
of, an 1 didn't want Miss Hest pes
tered no more. l dassent speak, but
law! Miss Hester knowed what l wuz
a-thinkin' on; she'd riddle the brains
O. a scare-crow!
"'Amos,' she says, with harnsom'
show o sperit, there's good blood be-
him him; We can't gainsay it.
"'You're right, Miss Hester says l;
4 can't
"Wall, then, Amos, God helpin' O.
me, I'm a-goin' ter try ter raise up one
more Stanwood ell match them which
hez gone afore him. I'm a-goin' ter
back prayer an love an patience
agin any faint thur may be in his blood
an, Amos, beseech We not ter fail
me, fur put greet dependence on ye,
says she.
"Wall, tried ter swaller my mis-
givin's, an'-'Miss Hester says l, I'D
match you agin hundred any day tel
carry yer pint, fur ye know how tel
git at the Helper up yender ez never
fails. IT don seem ez eff ye need me
but seems we want it, gin ye my
promise ter dew all l ken fur We, e.
It's Benjamin'S boy, an here's my han
ont
Thank We, Amos, says she. Nov
my minis at ease. The facts O. thu
case is this His mothers folks don
want nothin' ter dew with him. The,
packed him off with mos ondecen
haste, never givin' me no time ter sa.
whuther I'd take him or not. So tn,
leetle boy-why, l dom even know hi
name, Amos-he'll be here ter-morrer
an there's scant time ter git tn,
trundle-bed an t'other fixin's down GU
o the garnet, an lookin' up sudden,
ketched her tryin' ter hide a smile.
"'Pon my word, says ter Marth,
Ann, she's ez tickled over It ez tn
mex UNI
81 went down the lot an begun tie
NOW, but my head was in such a muckle
with them Western folks a-shiftin' al
the Expense an 'sponsibil'ty on Mis-
Hester, tibet l he'd purity tough day
work ont
81 wus afeard ez 'twud plague Mis-
Hester if l wuzn't roun' when the lee
tie teller come, so mex day, when til
stage hauled up ter our door, theer
wuz, but not in pertick'le Ter welcomir
sperits. He wuz all alone, fur the ma
which bringed him on from Dakoty ha
gin him in charge O. our stage-drivel
an then lief him. He steps out like
leetle man, an looks bout him fur
minnit, an nobody spoke word. The
he goes up ter Miss Hester, an winkil
back the tears ez spunky ez could be-
"'Aunt Hetty,' says he, I'm Benji
Papa sent me ter we with his bes' low
an he toll me ter tell We ez he wuz vel
sorry
"Miss Hester melted at the flu
words, fur 'Hetty' wuz Benjamin
pet name fur her fore ever the OF
happiness commenced, an she foldC
her arms roun' tibet leetle Teller, a
| kissed him agin an agin.
r Then says he ter her, Aunt Hett
f is that Amos?' an he shakes han
2 with me ez grave ez jedge. The
e hevin' done up all his business brow
l the tears come a-streamin' down
l cheeks, an Miss Hester she jes' get
cred him up in her arms, an KERR,
r him into her bedroom, fur he wusr
source fve-year old, an very small a
+ cordin', tew.
"Wall, tibet leetle Beniie crawl
s right inter the suggest corner O. o.
} hearts. Ter hev him roun' when WI
S a-dOin' of the chores, arstin' his hu
dred an one questions, half o. viii
y no mortal cd answer, let alone N
hinderin' me ways uncomfortable, wi
J every leetle finger a fish-hook, an Y
y the bigges' kin O. help-'twuz std,
pleasure. An when Miss Hester a
}, me sot in meetn', with Beniie a-twe,
" us,twuz heavenly ter see the satisfact
on her face; done me ez much good